Help me with my garage door decisions

I know you all love a garage thread, so help me decide what to do with my garage door…

Back story:
Single attached garage 2.5x7m. Used as a workshop and bike storage (currently 5 in there, fairly low value, my best bike lives in the house). Door to house, UPVC pedestrian door and window at the back. Front door is currently an electric roller shutter.

I’ve always wanted to get rid of the roller shutter because it’s frustrating waiting 30 seconds for it to open when you just want to nip in and out. My girlfriend rides to work, and I ride pretty much everywhere so this is annoying. Also, there’s necessarily a massive gap across the top so it gets cold and breezy in there. I also thought it wasn’t the most secure thing, but stuff I read suggests they’re actually quite good.

I’d looked at a nice new insulated steel side hinged door from the likes of Latham’s but there’s no way I could justify the cost. Would be looking at £1200 minimum once you adjust for the size, and if were to go to the expense/effort, I would want the extra security options, glazing for light, and my girlfriend doesn’t see the point unless we can have it a colour other than white, so we wouldn’t get much change from £2000. And that’s still me installing it.

So I bought a decent quality steel side hinged door that’s almost exactly the right size, powder coated black, off Facebook marketplace in almost new condition for £200, and now I’m figuring out how much I can improve it. This probably sounds bonkers, but I was never going to spend the money on a Latham’s door and I’m pretty confident with joinery, fabrication, welding, etc. So…

Locks:
Door currently has a single point lock with a standard Euro cylinder. Top and bottom bolts on the non-active leaf (fine because that side won’t be used much). Always a compromise on security, but ease of access is important, so ideally one key access from the outside.
Options I’ve come up with are: install a multipoint backset like this:

Would be a little bit involved fitting it into the door, but it’s just steel box section so it should be do-able.
Or adding top and/or bottom locks, like this:

(but more substantial, pic just for illustration)
Easy to fit but would mean an extra key, and 2/3 locks to open every time.

Hinges:
Currently pretty standard hinges. It opens outwards (necessary, because there’s no space in the garage for it to open inwards) so the hinges are exposed – seems like taking a battery angle grinder to them would be pretty straightforward (if noisy). But then even Latham’s ultra-high-security door have hinges like this.
Not sure what the alternative is though. Have looked at what concealed hinges are available, but little that would support enough weight, and very expensive (like, £30-40 a hinge and I need at least 6-8):


Any other ideas?

Glazing:
While I’m at it, it would nice to put some glazing in to let a bit of light in, if it can be done without compromising security, or looking gash. I know a local company who will supply 10mm frosted perspex cut to size at a reasonable price.
The door is slightly shorter that the aperture. Existing door is similar, and the space is filled with timber. I cut put a long, very narrow perspex window in here, while I’m making a new timber frame anyway. It would only be 75mm or so deep, but 2m wide and high up, and so let a bit of light in with no affect on security.
Or I could cut holes and add actual windows into the frame, which I think done right wouldn’t compromise security or look too bad, but is a bit more risk/work.

Insulation:
This is probably the easy bit. I’ve insulated and lined the walls/roof of the garage, so it would be nice to add probably 50mm PIR and line it with 9mm ply. Will need to be careful about condensation, but otherwise, any reason why not?

So, any advice? Other than “sell it, find some money from somewhere and buy a Latham’s door” or “just fit it a stop thinking about it” 😃

Windows are a compromise in security. Just fit a load of decent LED’s.

I don’t see that they have to be though. 10mm perspex is no easier to get through than steel sheet, as long as it’s framed securely. Frosting means people can’t see in.

The reason I mentioned the rest of the garage layout (rear door, etc.) was that that’s probably the weak point (although it’s at the back of the house, and so not visible).

To clarify, are you replacing the side door with the steel one, or are you closing off the electric roller and putting the steel door there?

Interested as I have an electric roller, its only about 7 years old but the white coating is starting to come off, its a slimeline so I’m not that convinvced about security, and I’d rather have a door I can nip in and out of rather than the wait for it to go up and down.

I’d like to fit a double UPVC door with perhaps reducer panels either side, I did the rear side door a few years ago with a solid panel vertically grooved which looks fine, but I’ve not seen any photos of a garage door replaced in this style even on the websites that offer UPVC garage doors.

While I’m at it, it would nice to put some glazing in to let a bit of light in, if it can be done without compromising security, or looking gash. I know a local company who will supply 10mm frosted perspex cut to size at a reasonable price.

Perspex and secure?

To clarify, are you replacing the side door with the steel one, or are you closing off the electric roller and putting the steel door there?

Sorry, replacing the electric roller shutter, for similar reasons to you.

Perspex and secure?

Am I missing something? It’s pretty much impossible to smash 10mm perspex unless in a very large panel. Certainly much more difficult than glass.

I’ve not seen any photos of a garage door replaced in this style even on the websites that offer UPVC garage doors.

Might there be any issue with the weight of a side-hung upvc garage door? I fitted insulated steel doors a few years ago and when I was looking into it I think I remember size/strength/flex being potential issues.

Just replaced a 4 month old up and over garage door. I sold it for £100 with everything to just slot it into its new home.

Your OP was one of the reasons i couldnt bring myself to fit a electric roller. I am always nipping in and out of my garage and waiting 30 seconds each time would be an absolute PITA. In the end i went for a glorified patio doors. £1300 for a solid panelled set of doors fitted. At least as secure as my front door and offers even more heat saving for the rest of the house too which is a bonus

Its much quicker and easier than even the up & over door. Expensive but i think worth it

My door takes about 20 seconds to fully open. I counteract this delay by pressing the remote button before I walk out of the back door. By the time I’ve walked the 10 metres to the garage it’s open 😉😂

I know, I know, I always feel a bit stupid saying I want spend hundreds of £ replacing a door to eliminate a 30 second delay, but it’s really frustrating, particularly when you’re rushing out for a ride and then realise you’ve left lights/gloves/bits of your brain inside. I’m glad there are other people here that think the same.

No , I do know where you are coming from.
I still need to put a side door on my garage for Acess in case the RSD fails. I’ve partitioned it inside so that when the kids open it , all my tools etc are in a back room that is locked.
They are quite happy to leave the main door open 🙄

Interesting. Since we moved in I’ve wanted to replace our flimsy up and over garage door with a roller so I can hang bikes where the current door goes when it’s open. Didn’t realise they’d be so drafty, and we have no need for an actual garage door. Perhaps I’ll do what the littlest hobo did and put in regular doors….

Sorry OP, nothing useful to suggest or add, just wanted to say good luck – sounds like a lot of work! Question – how many 30 second waits would you need to avoid to see a return on your effort? 🙂

Haha, I don’t want to know!

Yeah… I hadn’t even realised there was such a big gap till a few months after we moved in. I’m not sure there’s much you can do about it – the rolled up door is wider than the unrolled door, so there has to be space for it. I’ve covered it roughly with a flap of old carpet, but it doesn’t really make much difference.

OTOH I’ll have an electric roller shutter for sale soon, they’re great, you should buy it 😅

Re draughts, I fitted a brush-style draught excluder across the top of the opening on the outside. This made a really noticeable difference, so I also fitted the same vertically down the sides. It’s not 100% perfect but significantly better than before. Mine is a manual roller door so fortunately I don’t have a time delay opening.

picture sharing[/url]

Just wanted to double check on your door costs… I installed a Lathams heavy Duty Steel door in my brick new build garage about 10 months ago.

Heavy Duty inuslated option, 900wide (so you can fit a MTB handlebar through it) Black Powdercoat (£££ extra), Masonry fixing kit, upgraded 3* Ultion locks and keys, security trims and upgraded handles, delivered, was £647.99, I’ve just checked the invoice.

It is superb – people have commented on how solid, well made and secure it feels. Really do reccomend it!

Just had a closer look from the front, and the gap isn’t nearly as big as I thought, similar to yours @fazzini, so those brush strips would be a good bet if I was going to keep the shutter.

Just wanted to double check on your door costs… I installed a Lathams heavy Duty Steel door in my brick new build garage about 10 months ago.

Heavy Duty inuslated option, 900wide

I’m looking to replace the front door, 2m wide, double door.

They have some decent looking options:

Double Steel Door (Security)

Might look a bit utilitarian/industrial though

Not at all, would love one, but they’re the ones I referred to in my OP as being out of my price range.

spooky has a picture of mine fitted. Happy for him to share as i dont have picture hosting.

Biggest benefit is its as well insulated as a front/patio door. Zero breeze. Zero leaves blowing under. For me the ability to open and close in seconds makes up for the fact i am an idiot who forgets things every 5 mins and comes and goes out of the garage 100s of times.

My garage is an integrated one. Others with same garage have mentioned that bedroom above the garage is noticeably colder than the others. This wasnt the case before we had the door fitted but in the interests of keeping insulation value as high as possible i know for certain this door will offer much better heat insulation benefits that the old door.

My BIL has a barn door type, but one half has a standard door built in. They never use the barn door.

My up and over takes more than 30 seconds to unlock all the bolts. If I’m in only a few are locked.